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Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Columbia HS Students Walk Out of Class to Protest MO Grand Jury Decision

Dozens of students at Columbia High School in Maplewood walked out of the building this morning to protest the decision by a St. Louis County, Missouri grand jury not to indict Ferguson city police officer Darren Wilson on charges relating to the death of Michael Brown.The walkout took place during the reading of the Pledge of Allegiance at approximately 9:10am. Students protested nonviolently in front of the Parker Avenue school for several minutes before reentering the building and marching in the hallways. CHS principal Elizabeth Aaron made an announcement to students and staff members at 9:43am asking students to "please return to (their) period 3 classes". Aaron also asked teachers to step out into the hallways to supervise.Multiple student walkouts have taken place in the South Orange Maplewood School District in recent years. In 2012, South Orange Middle School students walked out of class to protest the decision made by school officials not to give tenure to two teachers. In 2010, students at CHS walked out to protest Governor Chris Christie's proposed budget cuts to education.Send story ideas and photos to placenjwebsites@gmail.comFollow us on Twitter - @PlaceNJ